Kiatra
by Kitkatney
Summary: UPDATED Daniel rescues a woman from the Goa'uld, only to learn that he may have sentenced her to death...
1. Chapter One

Authors note: After being gone for two years, I came back to Stargate to realize that I was way behind in character development, so here is my new and improved version of my story, cutting out any references that are no longer valid in the stargate world. As usual...stargate characters belong to the stargate creators...blah... blah...  
  
Spoiler: Heroes 2  
  
**Kiatra** By Katherine Kongos  
  
Dr. Daniel Jackson struggled through the underbrush as he surged toward the stargate. The sounds of weapons firing vibrated off the trees and shook the earth beneath his feet. Goa'uld ships sliced the sky above him, their fireballs destroying the rapidly depleting surroundings of the forest. Smoke billowed in clouds around him, hindering his sight. He blinked rapidly, trying to make out the forms in front of him. Arms out, trying to keep his bearings, his foot caught something in its grasp, and he sprawled onto the ground. His forehead bounced off a bed of rocks conveniently placed nearby and lights danced beneath his eyelids. Darkness threatened to consume him. He forced his eyes back open, wincing with the effort, and debated with himself whether or not to get up.  
  
A moan from beneath him gave him his answer.  
  
Muscles protesting, he scrambled onto his knees. Squinting, he saw a small body curled into the fetal position, face tucked underneath a straw thin arm. It was dressed in rags; the tattered remains of a dirt-streaked cloak its only protection. Gently, he raised the arm away from the body to reveal the gaunt, pale face of a young woman. A wave of compassion enveloped him and he bent over her, placing two fingers in the crook of her neck, searching for a pulse. He held his breath until he felt the soft flutter of a heartbeat. Decision made, he cradled the small form to his chest, and got to his feat, shook also by the featherlike weight in his arms.  
  
Eyes stinging from the smoke, he looked around him, suddenly at a loss as to which direction to take. Hearing a shout behind him, he tensed, heart pounding with fear. Muttering a prayer to whoever was listening he slowly turned to see Colonel Jack O'Neil barreling at him like a football player. His relief whooshed out of him. "Jack! Where did you...?"  
  
"No time Danny boy," Jack hurled at him before grabbing his upper arm and shoving him rather forcibly forward. Needing no more hints, Daniel tightened his grip on the woman and ran, following Jack as he tore through the trees, dodging falling debris.  
  
Through the screen of smoke, the stargate emerged, a guiding light in the growing chaos around them. A surge of adrenaline coursed through Daniel's body at the sight and his speed kicked up. Ahead of them, Teal'c laid down cover fire while Major Samantha Carter waved frantically at them to hurry. As he pushed himself on, arms burning with exertion at the extra weight, though slight, in his arms, a sharp blinding pain exploded in his right shoulder. He stumbled. He felt Jack beside him, gripping his other arm and supported his weight as they leapt through the stargate.  
  
They landed on their knees on the other side. Unable to bear the burden any longer, Daniel slowly released the woman who rolled from his grasp onto the cold metal of the ramp leading to the stargate. His body shrank into himself, pain coursing through his body. Stargate Command's medical team immediately surrounded him and the rest of SG-1. The new doctor in charge, Captain Emma Meyers, knelt next to him, examining his injury with a critical eye before nodding to another member of her team. "Get him to the infirmary." The enlisted man hurried to comply as, white coat flapping around her; Dr. Meyers quickly assessed the rest of the team. Satisfied that there were no other injuries, she requested they report to the infirmary after the debriefing for a close check-up, then settled next to the woman Daniel had brought with him.  
  
Jack and Sam headed down the ramp towards a bewildered General George Hammond. "What happened?"  
  
Sam shot a glance at Jack who shrugged his shoulders. She turned back to General Hammond, eyes wide with puzzlement. "We're not exactly sure what happened, sir."  
  
"And that?" he asked, nodding his head towards the small group surrounding the unconscious woman.  
  
Jack's eyebrows rose. "Mystery to me, sir."  
  
"O'Neill."  
  
Jack turned towards the voice to see Teal'c standing slightly away from the woman and studying her intently. Tossing a nod at Sam and General Hammond, he made his way to Teal'c who nodded his head slightly towards his point of interest.  
  
Jack's eyes fell on the still figure, taking in her appearance. She was small, maybe only a few inches above five feet. Her hair was a long dull brown color that hung in an unkempt mass around her shoulders. Her clothes were in rags, a cheerless green that just barely covered her and revealing the frail, waif of a woman beneath them. Her skin was washed out; the only color the shades of black, grays and browns of the dirt and ash that covered her. A washed out gray clock, billowed out from her, the end frayed and worn. Jack's eyes settled on the woman's wrists and ankle where intricate tattoos of swirling black lines were located.  
  
"Cool tattoos," he remarked, looking back up at the Jaffa.  
  
"Do you recognize them?" Sam asked, coming up behind Jack. Teal'c nodded again.  
  
"Indeed. These are the marks given to those unworthy of receiving a symbiote." Jack's eyebrow's furrowed in disbelief.  
  
"Unworthy? Since when are the Goa'uld picky?"  
  
His question went unanswered as a piercing shriek trembled through the gate room. The source of their conversation reared up, struggling against Dr. Meyers and her team as they attempted to calm her down. Her eyes were wide with alarm, her movements frantic. Her cries grew louder as Dr. Meyers labored to give a sedative while continuing to keep hold of a thrashing arm.  
  
There was a shout above the commotion, and Jack turned in time to see Daniel forcing his way through the crowd, a determined look about him. Kneeling next to the distressed female, he grasped her face in his hands, ignoring the pain in his shoulder at the sight of the pure terror in her eyes.  
  
Daniel whispered softly, soothing, his thumbs tenderly stroking her wet cheeks. Catlike amber eyes focused on his face. Her rapid breathing started to slow, fading into low hiccups. "Let her go," he said, voice still soft, eyes never leaving her, and as they released her, her small hands immediately reached up to clutch his face, mimicking the way he held her. Her fingers explored his face, searching for the comfort he offered her.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dr. Meyers readying a syringe. With a flicker of a glance towards Daniel, she quickly injected the sedative. He continued speaking in soft tones as he watched her eyes slowly drift shut, and the weight of her body settled down into the arms of the waiting med team. He released her and rocked back on his heels as he watched them lift her onto a liter and head out of the room. Pushing his glasses up on his nose he finally noticed the silence that had descended on the gate room. Coloring slightly, he cleared his throat.  
  
"Well, ah..." he started, reaching up to rub the back of his neck and wincing as the pain in his shoulder made itself known. Dr. Meyers swooped down, shaking her head disapprovingly at him as she hustled him away towards the safety of the infirmary.  
  
Jack's eyebrows were raised again as his gaze met Sam's. He smiled with false innocence before following Daniel out. All Sam could do was shake her head.


	2. Chapter Two

Jack leaned against the doorway to the infirmary watching the newest member of the SGC work. Dr. Meyers russet head was bowed over Daniel as she finished cleaning his wound. Her gloved hands applied a four by four piece of gauze over the site and covered it with a thin piece of plastic covering, a tegaderm. As he watched her, he was reminded of Dr. Janet Fraiser, SGC's medical officer who had died a couple months back in the line of duty. Though he had enjoyed giving her a hard time, which happened more times than not, he deeply respected and admired her directness and ability to do what was necessary, no matter how hard. Her compassion and strength had been unmatched. Almost every single person in the SGC owed his or her life to her, his own included.  
  
Jack smiled crookedly, remembering. His eyes focused on Dr. Meyers and his smile faded into a frown. Though he knew Dr. Meyers had been trained by the best, and, from what he had seen so far, she seemed an efficient doctor. But she had never been in combat and that, to Jack, was strike one.  
  
Pushing off the doorframe, he made his way to the pair, eyes on Daniel's wound. Inwardly, he sighed in relief that that was all that was wrong this time. He sure is a tough guy to kill, Jack thought to himself and grinned. Definitely not the first time he'd had that thought.  
  
Dr. Meyers felt rather than heard Jack's presence behind her and, looking over her shoulder, she caught the grin on his face. Eyeing him warily, she straightened, squared her shoulders and tugged off her latex gloves with a snap. "Need something, Colonel?"  
  
"Oh I don't know," Jack said as he grabbed the chair next to the infirmary bed, swung it around and plopped into it, resting his elbows on the back. "A winning lottery ticket, a new car, a vacation, maybe a new fishing rod..." She arched a dark eyebrow at him.  
  
"Anything else?" Jack shook his head.  
  
"Not a one. Daniel?" he asked, glancing at Daniel who was watching their conversation, amused.  
  
"Ah, no. I'm good. Thanks." Dr. Meyers turned back to Daniel, rolling her eyes. Daniel smirked. The O'Neill charm strikes again. He glanced up at Dr. Meyers, who was finishing fastening a sling behind his neck. She stepped back, eyeing her handiwork. Then, putting her best doctor face on, she looked at him over the rims of her glasses and handed him a prescription bottle.  
  
"Now, from what I've read, you know the drill. Just give me a call if those don't help, okay?" He nodded and she smiled encouragingly, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Take it easy. I mean it," she said, looking pointedly at Jack, who tried to look innocent. Shaking her head, Jack tended to have that affect on people, she moved away, heading towards a closed curtain on the other side of the infirmary.  
  
Jack watched her disappear inside before turning back to Daniel who had relaxed back into the pillow, eyes closed. He propped his chin on his arms, tilted his head and stared. He saw Daniel shift uncomfortably, whether from his shoulder or his staring, he didn't know, but his eyes never left Daniel's face. Luckily, his years in the military taught him to be patient...most of the time anyway. Well, maybe not most of the time. This time at least. Maybe.  
  
"Daniel." Daniel opened one eye, eyebrows raised.  
  
"Yes Jack..."  
  
Jack ran one hand through his hair, leaning back in the chair before draping his arms over the back. He clasped his hands together and fixed Daniel with a slightly mocked look of confusion. "Maybe you can clear something up for me. Was it, let's see," he counted on his fingers, "five or ten minutes this time?"  
  
Daniel rolled his eyes and let out a breath of frustration, knowing where he was going with this. "Jack...it was an accident."  
  
Jack glared in disbelief at him. "Right. This woman, whom we know absolutely nothing about I might add, just 'accidentally' falls into your arms ands you 'accidentally' carry her through the stargate before we even have a chance to assess the threat she might be."  
  
"Jack, does every unknown person automatically have to be a threat?" Jack froze in mid rant and looked at him as if he'd just grown three heads. "And besides, she didn't fall into my arms, I kind of fell into hers. I tripped and," he shook his head, "anyway, the point is, Jack, that I couldn't just leave her there. It is our job to protect those who can't protect themselves. Am I right?"  
  
Jack sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. "Of course Daniel, but could you, I don't know, give me a little warning next time?"  
  
Daniel shook his head, fighting a smile. "Do I ever?" Jack chuckled in defeat.  
  
From across the room came a loud crash and a thud. Jack was up and out of his chair within seconds, Daniel right behind him. He tore the curtains open to see the woman of their conversation sitting up in bed, tearing at the IV in her arm. Dr. Meyers was on the floor, struggling to her feet. Daniel reached his good arm down to the doc, helping her up as Jack made a beeline for the enraged woman who was trying to get out of the bed. He seized her arms, forcing her back onto the bed. A flailing knee caught him in the stomach. Grunting out a curse, he shouted for Daniel to grab her legs. Daniel flung off his sling and grabbed at her thrashing lower limbs, gritting his teeth at the pain in his shoulder. "Hurry with that sedative, Doc!" Jack barked, as the woman below made no signs of quieting down. Throwing a look over his shoulder he glared at Daniel as if to say 'I told you so'. His distraction cost him as sharp teeth sunk into his skin. He jerked his arm away, catching Dr. Meyers in the face and sending her glasses flying as she came up behind him with the syringe. Once again she hit the floor, blood streaming from her nose, tears springing to her eyes. Daniel loosened his grip, eyes on the doc. The woman took advantage of the situation to wrench away from their grasps and off the bed. Her eyes searched frantically around for somewhere to hide. They settled on Daniel and before he could react, she flung herself into his arms, knocking them both onto the floor. Her fingers dug into his shirt as she curled close to him, sobs racking through her thin body. Daniel immediately wrapped his arms around her, one hand in her hair, the other rubbing her back as he murmured gently. He looked helplessly at Jack who was holding his hand tightly over his arm where she had bitten him. A nurse, Tiffany Cooper, was helping Dr. Meyers to her feet. She was squeezing her nose shut, stemming the flow of blood. She shot Jack a look of pure malice, before being led away by Nurse Cooper. Jack watched her go, biting back the pain in his arm.  
  
"Sorry." 


	3. Chapter Three

Briefing Room  
  
General Hammond leaned forward in his chair at his position at the head of the table. His eyes traveled around the group, finally resting on Dr. Meyers. Brows furrowed, he took in the red eyes, the purple black skin around them and the little white bandage on her nose. Leaving her, he stopped at Jack who was fiddling with the fresh bandage on his left forearm. There was a stony look about him that settled into a guilty half- frown when he looked up at Dr. Meyers. His fingers gestured with embarrassment at her face.  
  
"How's your..." his started, voice apologetic but stopped at the look she shot him. He shrugged and turned to the General who was watching them with concerned interest.  
  
"Mind telling me what happened?"  
  
Jack waved his hand at Daniel. "Daniel's 'friend' woke up and decided to use me as dinner."  
  
Sam and Teal'c looked at him in astonishment while Daniel shook his head in annoyance. General Hammond's eyes narrowed on Dr. Meyers who was slowly turning an amazing color of red. "Did she attack you as well, Dr. Meyers?" She shook her head, causing her glasses to slide and perch precariously on the tip of her nose.  
  
"No, Sir. I, for lack of a better way to phrase it, got in the way and got a fist in the face." Another unpleasant look was tossed at Jack who shrugged ruefully. General Hammond was more successful of hiding a smile then Sam who coughed into her coffee. Even Teal'c was slightly amused. Clearing his throat, General Hammond got back to business.  
  
"What can you tell me of this woman, Dr. Meyers? And do you believe her to be dangerous?" He caught Daniel rolling his eyes out of the corner of his eyes but chose to ignore him for the moment. Dr. Meyers pushed her glasses back up on her nose before consulting the paperwork in front of her. "I can't be certain, General. From the results of the tests I have taken so far, she's human. And besides being dehydrated, she is fine physically. As for mentally...I would like to keep her under close observation; at least until we know more." General Hammond nodded in agreement. He could tell Daniel was about to start protesting. He held up his hand to stop him.  
  
"I agree. We'll put her in isolation until further notice. Dr. Jackson, I'd like you to see what you can get out of her since she seems have taken a liking to you. Just be careful. I don't want another replicator type incident coming back to bite us in the ass."  
  
"My thoughts exactly, General," Jack said, nodding his head, satisfied.  
  
"General Hammond."  
  
"Yes, Teal'c?"  
  
"I do not believe this woman to be dangerous."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"This woman bears the markings of those who are unworthy of receiving a Goa'uld."  
  
"There's that word again," Jack said, scoffing. Daniel ignored the man sitting next to him and leaned forward, curious.  
  
"What do you mean by 'unworthy', Teal'c? " Teal'c quirked an eyebrow at Daniel before answering.  
  
"It is said that when a human host is unable to receive a symbiote, the Goa'uld believe that the human is not worthy. Therefore, the human is marked and turned into a slave, or killed."  
  
Jack held up his hands to stop Teal'c from continuing, brows creased in confusion. "Wait, wait. That bounty hunter guy..."  
  
"Aris Boch," Daniel interrupted.  
  
"Whatever. He didn't have any of those tattoos and he couldn't receive a.... snake."  
  
"Sir, he had on body armor. We wouldn't have seen it if he did," Sam said, then turned to Dr. Meyers. "Was there any trace of rashna in her system?" Dr. Meyers consulted her notes before shaking her head. Sam nodded in thought. "So there's more."  
  
Jack raised his eyebrow. "More?"  
  
"Aris said that there was something in his genetic makeup that wouldn't allow the blending. We didn't even think that there might be more people out there who can't receive a Goa'uld."  
  
"You're point, Carter?"  
  
"If we can find these people, we might be able to figure out a way to prevent the Goa'uld from taking hosts." She turned towards General Hammond. "It's at least worth checking out, sir." General Hammond nodded in agreement.  
  
"See what you can find out." Then to the group: "Now, what happened today? Didn't you say that PK4-616 was a peaceful planet?"  
  
"The are, in theory. You see, the people of PK4-616, I believe, are derived form ancient India. Normally, a very hospitable people. They believe in Hinduism; the belief that all is god and god is all and that the universe is essentially one in substance or being. Now," Daniel was now in full archeologist mode. Jack rested his chin in his head, mind wandering; only staying tuned for anything of importance. "There are many Gods to worship, but the people of PK4-616, they worship Shiva. They believe that this entire universe is in the glory of Shiva, the God of Love. The heads and faces of men are His own, and he is in the hearts of all. He is also the creator of dance and reincarnation."  
  
"If he is the God of love, then what's the problem?" General Hammond asked, puzzled.  
  
"That's what makes Shiva one of the most complex gods of India, representing seemingly contradictory qualities. You see, he's most widely known as the destroyer God, the 'dark and terrible' Lord Shiva."  
  
"You're saying he's a Goa'uld?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. Unfortunately, while we were on their planet, Lord Shiva decided to check up on his loyal subjects, the Shivaites, and he wasn't very happy to find us there."  
  
"Apparently we're famous." Jack supplied.  
  
"And the next thing we know, we're running for our lives."  
  
Jack shrugged. "Same old, same old."  
  
General Hammond leaned back in his chair, digesting the information. Then, nodding to himself, he leaned forward, again clasping his hands together and resting them on the table in front of him. "SG-1 is on stand-down until we have further information. Dr. Jackson, Major Carter, keep me informed. Dismissed." 


End file.
